Verb Tense Review

The Importance of Time

Verb tenses express the time of an event or

action. Time and how it is expressed in speech
and writing is very important to English
speakers. The English language has twelve
different tenses. In this lesson, we will review
the meaning of each verb tense.
The Simple Present Tense
Expresses habits or often repeated actions.
Adverbs of frequency such as, often, seldom,
sometimes, never, etc. are used with this
tense.

She goes to work everyday.

They always eat lunch together.
The Simple Present Tense
This tense also expresses general truths or
facts that are permanent.

Snow falls in the December in Minnesota.

Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius.
The Simple Present Tense
There is no direct action.

I like apples.
I live live in Celaya.
I am 25 years old.
 The Present Continuous
This tense is used to describe an action that
is occurring right now (at this moment, today,
this year, etc.). The action has begun and is
still in progress.

She is typing a paper for her class.

I am reading a great book.
 The Present Continuous
The present progressive can also be used to
describe an action that is occurring in the
present, but is temporary.

John is living in Celaya, but he might move

soon.
We are studying English.
 The Simple Past
We use the simple past to indicate exactly
when an action or event took place in the past.

I visited my sister yesterday.

We went out to dinner last night.
 The Simple Past
The simple past is used to describe actions
and/or events that are now completed and no
longer true in the present.

I attended Penn State in 1998. (I no longer attend Penn State.)

I watched a movie every weekend when I was a teenager. (I don’t see
movies very much anymore.)
 The Past Continuous
The past progressive is used to talk about
an activity that was in progress at a specific
point of time in the past. The emphasis is on
the duration of the activity in the past.

I was studying for an exam while my mother was

cooking dinner.
We were walking in the park around 7 p.m. last night
when it started raining.
 The Past Continuous
The past progressive is often used with the
simple past to show that one action was in
progress when another action occurred.

I was taking a bath when the doorbell rang.

They were eating dinner when the neighbors stopped by for a visit
 The Present Perfect
The present perfect is used to talk about an
event that began in the past and continues up
to the present.

He has lived in Celaya for two years.

(He began living in Celaya two years ago and he still
lives there.)
 The Present Perfect
The present perfect is also used to talk
about an event that was completed in the past,
but the specific time of the event is not
important.

I have seen that movie before.

He has already visited San Miguel.
(Specific dates and times are not mentioned.)
Present Perfect Continuous
This tense is used to describe the duration
of an action that began in the past and
continues into the present.

He has been studying grammar for an hour.

She has been cooking all day.
(He is still studying and she is still cooking.)
Present Perfect Continuous
This tense is also used to describe events
that have been in progress recently and are
rather temporary.

She has been renting an apartment for the last two

months, but she plans to move soon.
 The Past Perfect
This tense describes completed events that
took place in the past before another past
event.

had received it hit

had eaten my friend stopped by

The Titanic had received many warnings before it hit the iceberg.
I had already eaten when my friend stopped by to visit.
 Past Perfect Continuous
This tense is used to emphasize the
duration of an action that was completed
before another action or event in the past.

had been
driving she found the right office

She had been driving around the city for three

hours before she finally found the right office.
 The Future
Will and be + going + to are often used to
describe future actions.

Thomas will graduate in June.

Maria is going to go to Mexico City next week.
 The Future
The simple present and present continuous
are also used to express future time. These
are often used in connection with schedules.

She is meeting a new client at eleven o’clock.

The train leaves at 6:00 a.m. tomorrow.
 The Future Continuous
This tense is used to describe an event or
action that will occur over a period of time at a
specific point in the future.
at 10 a.m. tomorrow
by the time you arrive

I will be flying home to see my mother at this time tomorrow.

They will be moving their furniture out of the house by the
time you arrive tomorrow.
 The Future Perfect
This tense is used to describe an event or
action that will be completed before another
event or time in the future.

will have finished the exam class ends

We will have finished the exam by the time class

ends tomorrow.
Future Perfect Continuous
This tense describes an action that has
been in progress for a duration of time before
another event or time in the future.

finishes law school

will have been living in the

U.S. for eight years

By the time he finishes law school, we will have

been living in the U.S. for eight years.